Born on Valentine’s Day, the 45th day of 1935, Huldah Oluboye had prepared for today which would have been her 80th birthday but it was not to be. To the end of her days 45 days before 2014 closed on November 16, she gave much love to family, friends, and those who came in contact with her.

Like most females of her generation in her little corner of Nigeria, female education was not given much thought during her very early years, and even though she placed first in the 1950 Standard VI Leaving School Examination in old Ondo Province, she would start professional life apprenticed in the tailoring trade.

After a couple of months at Akure the major city twelve miles from her Iju hometown, she was transferred by her older brother who was very familiar with Yorubaland’s largest city, to Ibadan where he had attended the Government College and was then a student at the University College (now University of Ibadan) where she continued her apprenticeship. Fate took another turn soon after her arrival at Mrs. Ogun’s who had to leave for England, but fortunately, she would, through her brother’s link with the famed photographer, Clement’s Photos of Idi-Ikan, continue her apprenticeship under Mama Mrs. H.I.D. Awolowo.

Mama had found the amount she was given from home to be in excess of what she needed for apprenticeship, and had had her continue her education at the Anglican Girls’ School. Through Mama’s foresight and kindness, she was therefore able to attend school in 1951 and ’52 as well as continue her sewing apprenticeship after school.

After her “Freedom” from the apprenticeship, she started her own small sewing trade in her hometown as well as teach Needlework and Domestic Science at the Senior Primary School, Iju-Itaogbolu (which became Iju-Itaogbolu Anglican Grammar School in 1957).

Oluboye would later attend the Divisional Teachers’ College at Ondo where she received certification. While the sewing skills acquired would probably have been a useful additional tool for others, Huldah would never touch a sewing machine again either as a professional or to even sew for herself and/or family once she went back to school!

She taught briefly at Iju but it was at Akure at Local Authority Schools and at African Church schools that she spent her entire career.

Present for her funeral ceremonies were all her living younger siblings while the two older ones, 88-year old Barrister I.O. Adamolekun and 80-year old Mrs. Abi Araromi, stayed away. This is in line with Yoruba culture: parents do not attend children’s funeral nor older brothers and sisters attend the burial of younger siblings.

Left to mourn Huldah Oluboye who outlived her only child are family members, friends and professional colleagues in Akure and environs. She was laid to rest at Iju on January 30, 2015 after a funeral service at the St. Stephen’s Archdeaconry Church. May her loving soul find eternal rest with God.

AND A SAMPLE of the aṣọ ẹbi (family uniform for social occasions in Yorubaland) now generally worn by families, friends, and if truth be told, by long distance acquaintances/just about anybody on social occasions throughout Nigeria today!

In Yoruba language, aṣọ (cloth/clothes) ẹbí (family) was clothing that was uniformly-worn by family members at social occasions like weddings, funerals, et cetera. The clothes were generally the Yoruba aṣọ oke, especially the three classics, sanyan, alaari and ẹtù. Other aṣọ òkè were also common. The practice has metamorphosed to include cheaper fabrics for affordability which is great, and huge motley crowds which is generally to make money for “celebrants”.

Yeah, always a great pleasure to see the clan gathered together at home, especially when I’m able to be a party to the gatherings. A sombre occasion that was also enjoyable because of the wide range of family members from our native home, Iju and from the different springs from where our Papa of very blessed memory had roots at Ise-Ekiti.

How come my generation was left out of Sis’s story-telling which has become hear-say to us!